Top 10: Worst Video Game Controllers

Today's Top 10 focuses on some of the brilliantly terrible game controllers that shipped for game systems. Many of these were first-party, out-of-the-box concepts, while others were cash-in ideas from engineers who either didn't have a sense in their noggin, or simply listened to their marketing department too much. Either way, these controllers are a bad bunch.

Number 10

5200 Controller

Though Nintendo didn't truly innovate with analog controllers out of the box, at least the company got it right. Atari's attempt two decades prior was just unbelievably weak — the company created an analog joystick that didn't even center itself when released, and its engineers used material for its buttons that seemed to deteriorate at room temperature.

And the games were challenging, but not in a good sense — with this thing, trying to get Pitfall Harry to jump over a gap was just as difficult as trying to stop him from running to the right.

Number 9

Turbo Touch 360

Dear Control Engineers:

Please don't remove the D-pad on a controller in favor of a touch-sensitive surface. You may try to con fighting gamers into thinking it'll make smooth circular motions easier, but you may not realize they like to rest their thumb on the pad when idle. Thanks.

Your pal, Craig

Number 8

U-Force

What looks like a laptop when folded and a Death Star access panel when open? One of the most ridiculous third-party controllers ever conceived, that’s what. Infrared beams shot out of this unit's surface and tried to interpret hand motions as controller movements, but did it work? Know anyone who owned this thing? There you go.

Number 7

Power Glove

One of the history’s stupidest controllers is also considered one of the most classic simply due to the brilliant marketing practice known as "product placement." The Wizard, starring Fred Savage, was a 90-minute Nintendo commercial for Mattel's Power Glove and Super Mario Bros. 3, even going so far as to use both items in the movie trailer. So even if you didn't pay your six bucks for a movie ticket, you were still assaulted with the branding. Oh, and you won't look as cool as an ‘80s Nintendo wizard when you strap it on, so don't bother.